Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-09
THE FLATHEAD COUNTRY.
What q Recent Visitor There Has to
Say OF Its Resources.

Mr.. Charles Ne'son. of this city, with
Peters & Kyle on Main street, returned to
town from the Flathead country last Sun
day. Travel to that region has improved
lately, as he went there and returned here
in the same week. The snow has entirely
disappeared from Flathead valley and ev-
erythi' wears the hue OF spring. The set
tiers are at work plowing and fixing up.
and in some instances planting is in pro-
gress. Mr.. Nelson is in ecstasies with the
beauty OF the country. and is a competent
Judge, having seen the garden spots of the
West. Boise and Salt Lake valleys, which
he says are unworthy OF comparison. He
would not haye believed it possible for a
northern country like Montana to produce
such a paradise. He bought his ranch
there last year and put up house and
barn then. 1t is situated on the
Saltwater. On this visit he found
everything going ahead. Nearly a
dozen people are going in every day on the
boat. The boat leaves the foot of the
lake and lands passengers at Ashley, about
fifteen miles up river, at the northern end
OF the lake. The boat makes trip only
one way each day. 1t goes up Friday
Thursday and Saturday. and returns on
the alternate days, laying up on Sunday.
The captain told him that he has to let
out about sixty feet OF the line when he
casts anchor in the river at it's entrance to
the lake. It is nearly half a mile wide
there.
The gold excitement on Wolf creek.
about twenty miles above the valley, will
undoubtedly attract many to the place
this year. He was shown a vein of coal
on Wolf creek which looks promising. The
surveying party from Manitoba is expected
to reach there this spring, as soon as the
snow can get of the range. Speaking OF
the products OF the soil. Mr.. Nelson said
all kinds of garden stuff we're raised there
last year. A neighbor on a ranch
next his raised turnip 37h lbs.
weight. Last year the season was compar-
atively dry. as rule there is not much
rainfall there. The Flathead country is
low. speaking as Butteite, being merely
1000 feet above ocean level. Last summer
the thermometer rose to 12O in the sun,
but at no time was the heat sewltering as
there is always breeze which relieves the
There was no frost in the
ground last winter and but sixteen inches
of snow.
The soil is loamy from FOOT to two feet
and a half deep all over the valley. A
Touring mill is going to be built on the Still
water. A force is at work on it now A
sawmill is one of the near certaintles. It is
expected that both will be in operation
this summer. Mr.. Nelson found a great
many Butte people there who are perma
nent settlers: Everyone spoken to
claimed he had the finest ranch
in the world and would not
trade with anyone. Last St. Patrick 3
day there was a dance at Ashley in the
school house, at which over thirty couples
turned in and tripped the light fantastic.
About 700 people are residents OF the val
ley now.
Mr.. Nelsoa saw some pretty good rock
coming from different places adjacent to
the valley, and thinks there is no doubt it
some fine mineral. One party
took out $4,000 OF gold last fall and they
will resume operations when the snow dis
appears sufficiently for them to get in.
Stock are all looking well and came
the winter unimpaired. It. is eigh-
teen years since the region was surveyed,
but no claims we're taken up until about
four years ago. For those who like agricul-
tura1 pursuits, MFR. Nelson knows of no Sec
tion in Montana to compare with the Flat
head country.
The engine room of the Blue Bird mill il
being ''fixed up'' ON a scale If parlor ele-
gance. All it needs is few yards of Brus
sells carpet and an upright piano. An ipge-
nious continuance has been adopted to as